PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Frank Verjigen (ranked 5232 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jackson Pollock (ranked 5285 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Verjigen
vs
Pollock

186 cm
19
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
18
172 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Frank Verjigen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jackson Pollock!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Aafke Stam and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pollock tries to close the distance and clinch but Verjigen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Pollock tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Verjigen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Pollock takes the fight into the clinch.
Verjigen blocks a body shot from Pollock.
Pollock misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Verjigen blocking some punches.
Verjigen blocking some punches.
Pollock throws a punch but it's blocked by Verjigen.
Verjigen doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Pollock misses with a punch to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Pollock fails to land.
Verjigen is stalling here.
A short uppercut from Pollock.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Verjigen misses with an elbow over the top.
Pollock prevents a takedown attempt there.
Pollock working aggressively here.
Verjigen is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Verjigen manages to break the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Pollock looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Pollock tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pollock fails with an attempt to clinch.

Pollock clinches up with Verjigen and pushes him back against the cage.

Verjigen jumps guard.
Pollock trying to stand up but can't free himself from Verjigen's guard.
Verjigen controlling the position.
Pollock really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Verjigen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Pollock wants to stand but Verjigen is controlling his posture from full guard.

Verjigen is looking for a triangle but Pollock pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Verjigen has Pollock pulled in close to control his posture.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Verjigen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Pollock.
Jackson Pollock is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Pollock gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Verjigen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Verjigen circles away from the clinch attempt.

Pollock closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verjigen is looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Verjigen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head punch on the inside from Pollock fails to land.
Pollock misses with a punch on the inside.
Pollock tries to work over Verjigen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Pollock swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Verjigen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pollock tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Verjigen counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Pollock pushes Verjigen off but Verjigen dives into side control.

Verjigen has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Pollock tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Verjigen manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Pollock tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pollock wants to clinch.
Verjigen tries to score a power double leg takedown but Pollock sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Verjigen somewhat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pollock closes the distance and pushes Verjigen back into the cage.

Verjigen pulls Pollock into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Verjigen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Pollock is looking to escape.
Pollock looks winded!
Verjigen stalling.
Verjigen moves into full mount! Pollock won't be happy about that!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Frank Verjigen will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Pollock moves in looking to clinch but Verjigen pushes him off.
Verjigen throws a head kick that misses.
A nice side step and Pollock releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.

Verjigen has Pollock up against the cage in a clinch.
Pollock is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Verjigen blocks an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pollock.
Verjigen is trying to maintain a safe position but Pollock gets an underhook and turns Verjigen into the cage.
Verjigen fails to pull guard.
Pollock tries a body shot but Verjigen blocks it.
Pollock swings wildly with an uppercut but Verjigen uses good head movement to avoid it.

Verjigen pulls Pollock into guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Verjigen is on top in guard.

Verjigen is in close to Pollock's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verjigen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Verjigen sitting in guard here, content to control.
Verjigen's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Verjigen gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Pollock tries to clinch up but Verjigen circles away and keeps his distance.
Verjigen jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.

Pollock takes the fight into the clinch.
Pollock tries to throw a body punch but Verjigen avoids it by throwing Pollock back against the cage.
Verjigen is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pollock pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Verjigen. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Verjigen manages to break the clinch.
Pollock tries to clinch there but Verjigen circles away.
Verjigen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pollock can do to turn this around?

Pollock closes the distance and clinches.

Verjigen breaks the clinch.
Frank Verjigen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Pollock moves into the clinch.
Pollock is pressed up against the cage. Verjigen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pollock down to the mat. Pollock avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Verjigen instigates a clinch.
Verjigen swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Verjigen tightens his grip and picks Pollock up, before dumping him to the ground. Pollock manages to land in guard.
Verjigen is standing up over Pollock. Pollock looks to escape but Verjigen dives into side control.
Pollock is breathing heavily.
Verjigen throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Verjigen is trying to get an arm triangle but Pollock is defending well.

Verjigen is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Pollock knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Verjigen tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Verjigen has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Verjigen circles away from the clinch attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Verjigen dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Verjigen shoots in for a takedown but Pollock shows good takedown defense.

Pollock clinches.
Pollock misses with a hook from the clinch.
Pollock misses with a hook from the clinch.
Pollock goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Verjigen breaks the clinch.
Verjigen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pollock is fending him off so far but Verjigen persists. Nope, Pollock circles away and we're back to standing.

Pollock drives through and clinches with Verjigen against the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Verjigen.
Nice body punch from Pollock.
Pollock throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Verjigens head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pollock misses with a body punch.
Verjigen looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Verjigen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pollock lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Pollock has a couple of punches blocked by Verjigen.
Pollock misses with a body punch.
Pollock misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pollock misses with some punches.
Pollock tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Pollock misses with a body punch.

Verjigen gets control of Pollock's arms and successfully pulls guard. Verjigen will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Verjigen scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Pollock tries to clinch up but Verjigen circles away and keeps his distance.
Pollock on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Pollock takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Pollock pushes Verjigen up against the cage in a clinch.
Pollock swings wildly with an uppercut but Verjigen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Pollock goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Pollock misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Pollock tries to throw a body punch but Verjigen avoids it by throwing Pollock back against the cage.
Pollock has a couple of punches blocked by Verjigen.
Pollock misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Verjigen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pollock tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Verjigen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pollock is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Pollock slips under a jab from Verjigen.

Verjigen dives in and scores a takedown into Pollock's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Verjigen lands a couple of digs.
Pollock working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Verjigen.
Verjigen sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Pollock's guard.
Verjigen sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Pollock is looking to get back to is feet but Verjigen passes into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verjigen is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Verjigen decides to stand back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Verjigen.
Verjigen has a takedown stuffed.
Verjigen keeps the fight on the outside.
Pollock tries to clinch there but Verjigen circles away.
It looked like Verjigen wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Verjigen swats away the attempt to clinch by Pollock.
Verjigen appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Pollock stuffs the takedown attempt from Verjigen. Verjigen gets slowly back to his feet.
Verjigen shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Jackson Pollock seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pollock tries to clinch but Verjigen moves away

and Verjigen counters with a single leg into guard. Pollock didn't expect that.
Jackson Pollock has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Frank Verjigen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pollock wants to get back to his feet but Verjigen is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Frank Verjigen.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Verjigen, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank Verjigen!